"May you live in interesting times"
Interesting times might be an understatement for today’s evolving world of business. Change truly is the only constant. My own business has seen significant overturns.
I’ve worked for my present employer for nine+ years. In that time, we’ve had:
- 3 CEOs of the parent corporation
- 4 Presidents of my division
- 6 CMOs of my division
Personally, I’ve had six managers.
"Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.”
I believe I’m quite flexible, able to adapt to business pivots, strategy directions and company cultures. Even so, this much change can be difficult. Colleagues come and go, operating models contort, and business slows as everyone develops new procedures and finds their way.
How do we accelerate?
"Manage growth, not change."
I recently listened to a presentation by Scott Halford. entitled “Activate your Brain” after his most recent book. However, what I took away from the session was more how to deactivate my brain. We all need to give ourselves space. Give our brain a rest. Give ourselves a moment to think. Halford recommended 3 ten-minute breaks in a day. These short rests help us concentrate and focus throughout the rest of the day.
We are all stress junkies. With the business world around us constantly evolving, with pressures of home and family, with volunteer commitments and desires to keep up with friends and the events of the day, we often feel we can’t keep up.
But what if we look at change differently? Halford comments that change causes the brain to make new connections, in a sense to grow. People like to grow. Growth is viewed as positive. So what if we look at change as simply growth and manage growth? Let change create an environment for growth not a cause for stress.
“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”
Recently, my company announced that it plans to form three global public companies. The breakup is believed to better position each company for long-term growth. What was once a behemoth of industrial diversification with 2020 revenues exceeding $75 billion USD, will now be three independent companies with their own boards and leadership structure. You could say that’s change on an enormous scale.
I’m going to take Halford’s approach and look at this not as change, but growth.
“Some changes look negative on the surface, but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge.”
I welcome the change as we emerge as a focused organization, leading the transformation of our industry. There may be times that this growth is painful but in the end, I believe it will be exhilarating. New companies will emerge – each with competitive strength, leading-edge technology, leaders dedicated to a common vision and a defined strategy for their future.
Here’s to growth.
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